Elderly promised yob crackdown

POLICE and council officers have promised tough action to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime. The pledge was made during a meeting with Rochdale MP Paul Rowen and residents of All Saints Terrace, Hamer.

POLICE and council officers have promised tough action to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime.

The pledge was made during a meeting with Rochdale MP Paul Rowen and residents of All Saints Terrace, Hamer.

The talks were held after the Observer reported that elderly residents were becoming too frightened to leave their own homes after being terrorised by gangs of teenage yobs.

After hearing the concerns, council services and the police said they would work together to crackdown on the problems and help the community to feel safer.

A host of security measures are to be introduced, such as improved street lighting, installation of CCTV and a barrier to stop vehicle access at night, thanks to funding from Rochdale Township.

Environmental improvements including pruning foliage and tidying up fly-tipped rubbish will be carried out by the council.

Police officers have stepped up their patrols in Townhead and Foxholes over recent weeks in a bid to reduce youth nuisance and are confident that the measures will prove successful.

Council youth workers have also agreed to focus on teenagers in the area as an extra measure. The agencies will be called to report back on the steps they have taken in two months’ time.

Mr Rowen said: "We need to ensure the problems that residents are experiencing are tackled quickly so they no longer have to continue living frightened in their own homes.

"It is important that ongoing action is taken to ensure the long-term safety of residents."

Councillor Ted Flynn, the cabinet member for community safety, said: "I am confident that the planned security actions will be a success in giving these residents a better quality of life. Improving community safety is our priority, we work to protect local people from crime but also to help them feel safer."

PC Lee Stanton, the community beat manager for Rochdale north neighbourhood policing team, added: "We will continue to work in partnership with the community safety team and residents to further reduce the level of anti-social behaviour in the area.

"We would encourage residents to report such incidents to us as they happen so that we can act quickly to prevent any problems escalating."